Cry With a Smile
by AquilaTempestas
Summary: It's been five years since Lyra claimed the title as 'Champion', and five years later she is still defending the throne. But Lyra faces her toughest challenge yet – she learns that she is pregnant. Lance/Lyra. Lyra/Silver friendship.


**Disclaimer**

The rights to Pokemon do not belong to me

**Title**

Cry with a Smile

**Summary**

It's been five years since Lyra claimed the title as 'Champion', and five years later she is still defending the throne. But Lyra faces her toughest challenge yet – she learns that she is pregnant.

**Note about Ages**

Lyra is twenty in this story, Clair is twenty three and Lance is twenty five. Ethan is twenty one, and Silver is also twenty one.

.

It was hard to believe that she had been fourteen years old when she claimed the title of Champion of Johto-Kanto region. At the age of twelve, she had battled grunts of Team Rocket. When she was thirteen she saved the Red Gyarados at the Lake of Rage. When she hit fourteen she defeated the Pokemon League and claimed the title of Champion. And when she was fifteen, she conquered Kanto and defeated the mysterious Red. It had been a long and gruelling journey, filled with many twists and turns, but somehow, she came out on top. Now she was twenty years of age.

Indigo Plateau was her home; far away from the business of the city life, but not so isolated that she felt alone. The Elite Four were always home; they had to be present at all times just in case there was a challenger at the door. The line up was still the same it had been when she claimed the title. This was the only downside to being a member of the Pokemon League – you could never leave unless it was for official league business – orders had to sent by a Pidgeot to the nearest town every two or three days just so supplies would never run out.

Lyra wouldn't mind doing the shopping every now and then, but her duty as Champion binded her to this role. For three years she had defended her title; most challengers were defeated, but some came quite close to claiming the title for themselves. Now she was twenty; more mature, wiser and far stronger than she had been at the age of fifteen.

But one thing had not changed – her team of six were still exactly the same as they had been three years ago, despite pressure from media to change her line up. Her team consisted of: Gyarados, Ampharos, Espeon, Dragonite, Crobat and her mascot Pokemon, a Feraligatr. The team did have its weaknesses – but their loyalty and love for their Lyra helped them win close victories.

She placed a hand over her mouth and yawned. "Feeling tired again, Lyra?" Karen asked, giving her friend a sideways look.

Lyra weakly nodded her head. "I just feel so tired all of a sudden." It was normal to feel tired after a couple of long battles and heavy training sessions, but she hadn't done either of those things since last week. "Perhaps it's just some cold going around again." She had caught up with Silver and Ethan last week at the private League restaurant, and Ethan did have a cold.

"Or it could be something else," Karen said slowly, the beginnings of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Just how much action have you been getting anyway?" By 'action' Lyra knew she didn't mean the battling type of action.

Lyra tried to remain clueless. "Well, the last battle I had was against Silver actually."

The specialist dark-type trainer shook her finger in Lyra's face. "Not that kind of action, I meant the other kind. You and Lance have been together for… two years now?" She tilted her sideways.

Lyra's cheeks burned hot. It was no secret to the Elite Four that Lyra had a very active sex life. When she wasn't battling, training, or carrying out champion duties, she was spending time with the former champion. A lot of time. A champion still had basic desires to fulfil after all. "What are you implying?"

The grin widened. "It's just an idea, but I think you could be pregnant."

"No way!" Lyra blurted. "Like I said, it's just a cold."

"Koga heard you vomiting all last week in the early hours of the morning, and you've been complaining of tiredness for a few weeks now," Karen explained, smiling, "And you've developed a bizarre craving for Clair's food. Oh, and I can't forget, the classic mood swings."

The possibly of being pregnant scared her. How on earth could she be champion if she was pregnant?! She'd have to resign from the role and hand it over to somebody else. Then she'd have the media to deal with. They would love a story like this. "No, no, no… I'm the _Champion. _I can't be pregnant." She was on the verge of tears now. Hysterical almost. Forced resignation. Doomed to a life of nonstop questioning by nosy reporters.

Karen patted her back. "Ssh, don't cry. No one is going to force you to hang up your title."

Lyra started to sob, burying her face into her hands. "That's it. My career is ruined."

"Now you're overreacting, I'll blame that on those hormones," Karen scolded. "You are not losing your title – you deserve to be the champion of Johto and Kanto. You're the most deserving of us. You were responsible for shutting down Team Rocket's operations once and for all. You saved the Red Gyarados. How many other champions can make that claim?"

Wiping her tear stained eyes, Lyra peeked up at Karen. "But… but… I won't be able to battle."

"Lance can step in. He knows the role well."

Speaking of Lance, Lyra wondered how he would react to this news. It wouldn't affect him as much as it would affect her obviously, but he still had his fair share of the limelight. Would he be pleased with the news? Or disappointed? Lyra had never talked about children with the dragon master and he had never brought it up. It was a topic they both avoided.

"You _have_ talked to him, right?" Karen said.

Lyra gave Karen a grim smile. "No… we avoid the topic. I don't think it's ever crossed his mind." How in the name of Arceus was she going to tell him this? How would he react? Would he leave her to care for the child on her own or stand beside her? She started sobbing again. "He's going to leave me."

"If he truly cares for you Lyra, he'll stay with you." She paused briefly, then spoke again. "If he threatens to leave let me know and I'll go and kick him."

Lyra continued to weep.

.

Needless to say, the conversation had not turned out well. Lyra was sitting at the League restaurant with Ethan and Silver, sobbing uncontrollably. It was embarrassing for a champion to behave in this way, but fortunately Ethan and Silver were very understanding.

"Let me go and teach that creep a lesson!" Silver snapped, cracking his knuckles.

Ethan was less aggressive, and simply tried to comfort his friend. "I'm sure he'll come around, he's probably just confused."

Lyra looked up from the table, staring at Ethan through blurry eyes. "He _hates _me! You should've seen the look on his face when I told him that I was pregnant!" The night had been awful. A lot of yelling, followed by tears which had only prompted more shouting. Because of the fight, Lyra had slept in Karen's quarters last night on the floor.

Silver was almost seething with rage, his hands were grasping at the edges of the table, as if he wanted to crush it. Silver didn't like Lance, and this gave him more of a reason to hate him. "I'll defeat that chump in a battle!" he said.

"What did he say?" Ethan said, trying to control the situation.

Sniffing, Lyra wiped her eyes then spoke. "He said… he said he doesn't want a part in it because he… he thinks it'll bring shame to the league." A violent sob escaped her, as the events of last night replayed in her head. Lance claimed that a pregnant champion would make the league look weak – that the champion must always be in peak condition – and that it would damage his reputation and hers as well. "He's right though – this will never be accepted."

"Where is he?!" Silver demanded. "Tell me where he is and I'll knock some sense into him."

Lyra shook her head. "Don't make things worse... I'll just… have to… resign from the position as champion." She didn't want to have to give the role up, but what other choice did she have? She suspected Lance would probably regain the title as champion. She covered her eyes. The week ahead was going to be tough.

.

"You what?!" Clair shrieked.

Lance placed himself behind the table, just in case Clair decided to hurl something at him from across the room. He tried to reason with her. "It was for the best." As much as it had hurt him to insult Lyra, he felt it had to be done. People expected a lot from the champion, and with Lyra's discovery, she wasn't going to be in the best shape. There would be calls to have her removed from the role when it became public news.

And when the news became public that Lyra was pregnant, the media would look for answers, starting with the former champion. He didn't want his private life invaded by nosy journalists. "For the best?" Clair scoffed. "You think it's a _good _idea to ditch your _pregnant _girlfriend?"

There it was again, that word. Pregnant. That word alone made him feel uneasy. Nervous even. He had never imagined himself in a parent role - he didn't see himself as the type. "What do you expect me to do?" This was a situation he wasn't accustomed to being in. Usually, he'd be the one solving the problems.

She pointed a finger at him. "I've got a good answer – why don't you accept your newfound responsibility and apologize to Lyra?" She crossed her arms over her chest, and continued to send death glares in his direction. "You were the one who got her into this position." There was a brief pause, then, "What will our grandfather think when he hears of this? That his own grandson is choosing to run away from a problem, rather than face it?"

It was strange hearing Clair talk like this. Usually, they'd be in reverse roles. He would be the one lecturing Clair, not the one being lectured. "Clair…"

"What? Are you scared? Is that why you're 'running away'?" she taunted.

Lance felt a surge of annoyance build up inside. "I'm _not _running away."

"That's not the way of a dragon master."

What did Clair know about being a dragon master anyway? She claimed she knew everything, yet had still not passed the test. "I see no point in carrying on this conversation." He turned around and made way for the nearest exit, but Clair wasn't done yet.

"I might not be Lyra's biggest fan, but I know she makes you happy. That's important to _me. _No matter what you choose to do, that kid will _always _be your blood," she said. "That must mean something to you."

It did. That currently unborn baby carried on the line of elite dragon masters. He remained quiet, not willing to give his cousin the satisfaction of knowing she had struck nerve. Clair was known by many to be a bitch, but she had a way of knowing what words to say when someone needed to be brought to their senses.

He left.

.

Ethan and Silver were still at Lyra's side and Lance wondered how long the two males had been there, comforting Lyra. That was supposed to be his role. Not Silver's. tightening his jaw, he stormed up to the table. "I need to talk to Lyra. Alone," he said, throwing a glare in Silver's direction, hoping the boy would get the hint.

"And leave her with you?" Silver retorted standing up, his eyes burning with black fire.

"It's alright, Silver. I'll talk to him," Lyra said softly.

Silver's sat back down, but the fierceness in his eyes remained. The boy deeply cared for Lyra as strange as it seemed. He didn't seem like the type to care for anyone. The other male, Ethan, nodded. "We will see you later, Lyra."

Lance waited until the two males had left his vision before addressing Lyra. He looked at her now, and noticed the redness in her eyes. The girl had been crying again. "Lyra…"

"Say it. Say that you don't want me anymore. Say that you know you're better off without a _weak _champion." She wiped her eyes, using the back palm of her right hand, then threw him a sullen look. "I can do this without you, even if that means giving up my title." She bit her lip to stop the tears from flowing.

He felt like the cruellest person in the world right about now. The tears she was shedding were because of him. "I came to apologize, Lyra," he said, reaching a hand towards her chin, cupping it gently. "I shouldn't have said the things I said last night."

She withdrew from his touch immediately. "An apology isn't going to change anything, you can't take anything back even if you wish you could," she said, almost in a hiss. "I'll look after this child myself – I don't need you."

That hurt. "How are you going to finance a life on your own?" Once a champion stopped being a champion, they no longer received a salary. Ex-champions had to find jobs elsewhere and that usually meant becoming a teacher.

"I'll think of something. I'll live with Silver or Ethan."

"That won't be enough, Lyra and you know it."

She looked away, seemingly finding something interesting on the ground. "I'll start up a shop. Star in a musical. Become the champion in the pokeathlon."

"Now you're being ridiculous, you know none of those jobs will earn you enough money. You need me, like I need you," he said, softening his tone. "Look at me, Lyra." She did. "You can't do this alone." _And I can't go on without you._

"What about all the stuff you said last night about the league being perceived as weak?"

Lyra saw the regret in his eyes. "That… was uncalled for, I know. You caught me by surprise, and that doesn't happen often. I wasn't sure how to react and… and that's why I said those things." He looked to the side briefly then turned back to her. "But it doesn't matter what everyone else thinks; I don't want to lose you, Lyra," he said, in a voice barely above a whisper.

"What about the media? The reporters? The fans?"

He cupped her chin again, gazing deeply into her eyes. The hurt was still there, but there was also hope. "We'll deal with whatever comes our way, together." It was going to be a tough battle – probably the toughest battle ever in his career. But if it meant keeping Lyra in his life it was worth it.

She smiled for the first time since the fight last night. "Promise?"

He smirked. "You have my word." Lyra stood up from her chair, and threw her arms around him, meeting his lips with her own.

.

Just another one shot yet again about Lance/Lyra, this time set quite a number of years into the future. Let me know in a review what your thoughts are regarding this one shot!


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